Mortgage Minute

28 06 2011

An interview with Adrain Carrick discussing current mortgage trends.





Mortgage Minute

14 05 2011

An interview with Adrian Carrick, a mortgage specialist with the Royal Bank of Canada offering some insights and ideas of current mortgage trends as of May 2011.





For the first time buyer

30 04 2011

A short introduction to starting the process of buying a home, specifically for the first time buyer.





Selling a condo? You will need to have updated documents.

15 04 2011


Selling a Condo in Calgary?

Be prepared to have the documents ready for when a buyer makes an offer. Be warned there is a cost associated with obtaining many of these items from a managment company. Price might range anywhere from $200-$300. This fee is at the expense of the seller so be mindful of your bottom line as you are negotiating your offer to purchase.

Here is a list of the items required in context of the way it is written in a Condominium Resale Purchase Contract:

  1. Copy of registered condominium plan
  2. Copy of the Condominium Corporation’s current bylaws
  3. Copy of the Condominium Corporation’s current financial statement, most recent annual financial statement and annual report
  4. Copy of current annual budget and
  5. A Statement setting out the amount of the monthly contributions (condo fees) and the basis on which that was determined
  6. Copy of the minutes of the most recent general meeting of the Condominium Corporation
  7. Condominium board of directors minutes for the past 12 months
  8. Copy of any special resolution being circulated
  9. Copy of the insurance certificate
  10. Copy of any lease agreement or exclusive use agreement with respect to the possession of a portion of the Common Property, including a parking stall or storage unit
  11. Copy of any management agreement
  12. Copy of any recreational agreement
  13. Details of any structural deficiencies in the condominium complex
  14. A statement setting out the amount of the capital reserve fund
  15. Copy of the reserve fund study
  16. Copy of the reserve fund report
  17. Copy of the reserve fund plan
  18. The particulars of any post tension cables that are located anywhere on or within the Property that is included in the condominium plan
  19. Percentage of owner occupancy in the complex
  20. Details of any contributions due and payable in respect of a unit
  21. Details of any contributions already levied but which will only become effective after the Completion Day
  22. Details of any actions commenced against the Corporation
  23. Details of any unsatisfied judgment or outstanding court order against the Corporation
  24. Details of any written demand upon the Corporation for payment of an amount in excess of $5,000.
  25. Any other relevant details




Secondary suites, Legal or Illegal?

12 04 2011

From my perspective many if not most of the inner city suites we encounter would be technically illegal. I recently received this note from CREB;

The Business Practices Issues article dated July 30, 2010, explained the necessity of clearly disclosing whether a suite is legal. The use of terms such as “Non-Conforming”, “Mortgage Helper” or “Mother-In-Law Suite” could lead a Buyer to believe that the suite is legal.

In my experience many if not most of the suites in Calgary’s inner city could be termed illegal. This video post is more a general observation about this situation and as an agent we get constant reminders about being very cautious with the way we describe a property.





Kensington Living and a discussion of land value and cost to build.

24 03 2011

The community of Sunnyside in Calgary is an awesome location. In the Kensington village, moments from boutique shops and coffee cafe’s, community paths and parks, Eau Claire Market and Calgary’s downtown. This is the place to be. This is an example of a home that is at the most entry-level price and is close to what some may say the value of the land is in Calgary Real Estate. It warrants a discussion of the cost to build and what a new home in this location could sell for.





Feedback! Sharing what a buyer thinks about a home…

16 02 2011

Sellers want feedback, yet industry standard is shifting towards protecting buyers from giving information that may be affect them negatively at the negotiating table. In this video I share an example that explains this concern along with some other perspectives on the challenge of getting and giving feedback.





Selling and buying. What do we do first?

10 02 2011

Perhaps the most predominate situation we guide people through is when there is a home or property needs to be sold and the desire is to buy a new home or property. People of often ask how we approach this situation, here is a summary of my perspective and opinion on the process.





What happens on Closing Day (possession date)

28 01 2011

A brief summary of what happens on a closing date. A tip for making certain that there are no complications for your possession. A discussion of what is the nature of a walk through. Note to buyers, noon is the time that the contract closes so do not schedule your moving truck to arrive before that time.





Condominium Document Review

20 01 2011

A general outline of a condo document review as a condition on an offer to purchase. This is a very general overview. Please contact our office for a complete list of details regarding a condo document review condition. This is interesting information for both buyers and sellers.








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